Buccal tube insert



Feb. l0, 1970 P. c.- KEsLlNG 3,494,034

uccAL TUBE INSERT Filed June l2, 1968' FlGB 16 FIG@ mvENToR PETER c.KESLING ATE? El EYS United States Patent O 3,494,034 BUCCAL TUBE INSERTPeter C. Kesling, Green Acres, La Porte, Ind. 46350 Filed June 12, 1968,Ser. No. 736,511 Int. Cl. A61c 7/00 U.S. Cl. 32--14 10 Claims ABSTRACT FTHE DISCLOSURE Buccal tube insert for an oval buccal tube tosubstantially convert the oval tube to a round or otherwise shaped tube.

This invention relates in general to an orthodontic appliance, and moreparticularly to a buccal tube insert for a at oval buccal tube toconvert the tube opening from a substantially oval shape to asubstantially circular or rectangular shape.

Heretofore, in the treatment of an orthodontic patient, it is quiteoften necessary in the early stages of treatment to employ a flat ovalbuccal tube on one or more of the molars to apply a torquing force tosuch a tooth. In such an instance, the arch wire is shaped for receptioninto the oval tooth to cause a torque force on the tooth. Following thetorquing of the tooth, it is quite often necessary to remove the ovaltube and substitute therefor a circular, cylindrical or rectangular tubefor further treatment. In order to make this change, the band and tubeare removed from the tooth so that the oval tube may be ground off theband and thereafter replaced with a round or rectangular tube. A newlyformed arch wire is then provided, having a simple straight-back endwhich engages in the opening in the round tube.

The buccal tube insert of the present invention eliminates the necessityof removing the oval tube in that the insert may be applied to the ovaltube to thereby substantially convert it to a round or rectangular tube.This substantially reduces the time and -problems of an orthodontist.Further, the insertion of the invention also serves to increase theoriginal length of the oval tube.

The buccal tube insert includes a substantially cylindrical orrectangular head having a circular or rectangular opening therethrough,and a pair of legs extending from the head that are sized to be snuglyreceived within the opening of an oval tube. As can be appreciated, thelegs will take up space in the oval tube, and where prop. erly shaped,will substantially convert the opening in the oval tube from an ovalshape to one of substantially circular or rectangular shape. One of thelegs is made of a length substantially equal to the length of the ovaltube, While the other leg is made of a length substantially longer thanthe oval tube to define a tail that may be bent over the end of the tubeand thereby lock the insert in place in the tube.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide abuccal tube insert for use with an oval buccal tube to convert thesubstantially oval opening in the tube to one that is substantiallycircular or rectangular, thereby eliminating the necessity to remove theoval tube where it is next desired to have a round or rectangular tubefor further treatment.

Another object of this invention is in the provision of a buccal tubeinsert for converting the oval shaped opening in an oval buccal tube toa circular or rectangular shaped opening and to lengthen the opening ofthe tube to allow for a greater length of wire to be in the tube.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparentfrom the following detailed disclosure, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying Patented Feb. 10, 1970 ice sheet of drawing, wherein likereference numerals refer to like parts, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tooth band having an oval buccal tubemounted thereon;

FIG. 2 is a perspective View of an oval tube mounted on a fragmentarytooth band and illustrating the buccal tube insert of the presentinvention in position in the oval tube;

FIG. 3 is a buccal view of the oval tube and insert of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a mesial end view of the buccal tube insert takensubstantially along line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the oval tube and the buccal tube insert;

FIG. 6 is a mesial-distal sectional view taken through the buccal tubeand insert and substantially along line 6-6 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a buccal-lingual sectional view taken through the oval tubeand insert and substantially along line 7-7 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a buccal tube insert for converting anoval tube to one having a substantially rectangular shaped opening.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1, a flat-ovalbuccal tube 10` is shown mounted on a tooth band 11. The oval buccaltube 10 is provided lwith a substantially oval in cross section archwire receiving opening 12. While the tube is illustrated as beingmounted on a band that in turn would be suitably cemented to a molartooth in a patients mouth, it can be appreciated that the tube may bemounted directly on the tooth by a suitable adhesive if so desired.

Use of an oval buccal tube is usually made in the initial stages oftreatment where it is desired to torque a molar tooth. The arch wirewould be formed in a loop at the end to fbe received in the opening ofthe oval tube and otherwise bent to provide the necessary torquingforces. Generally, this type o-f an appliance is employed in the lightwire technique and where the Wire would be cylindrical in cross sectionand relatively small.

Following the completion of the desired torquing of a molar tooth withan oval buccal tube, the use of the oval tube is no longer needed forsubsequent treatment. It is then generally found that a round orcircular in cross section buccal tube is needed in place of the ovaltube. Thus, it becomes necessary to remove the oval tube and replace itwith a round tube, which in the past has required removal of the toothband. The oval tube may then be ground from the tooth band and a roundtube may be applied thereto so that the round tube and tooth band may beagain cemented in place on the tooth of the patient. A round tube isnecessary in order to properly coordinate it with the bending of thearch wire to accomplish the desired results. Further, a round tube isnormally longer than an oval tube for the purpose of facilitating theuse of wire received therein.

The buccal tube insert of the present invention is generally indicatedby the numeral 13, and functions to be received by an oval buccal tubeto essentially convert the oval bu-ccal tube to a round tube, whichreduces greatly the time needed by the orthodontist and theinconvenience to the patient. The buccal tube insert includes a head 14and legs 15 and 16 extending therefrom.

The head 14 is circular in shape and provided with a circular opening 17arranged relative to the legs 15 and 16, so that when the insert isreceived in an oval tube, the opening 17 will align with the opening 12of the oval tube. The oval opening 12 extends relative to its long axissubstantially occlusal-gingivally from top to bottom as seen in FIG. l,and along the short axis buccal-lingually as moving toward the toothband 11. The longitudinal axis of the opening extends substantiallymesial-distally.

As seen in FIG. 4, the buccal-lingual dimension of the insert opening 17is substantially equal to the buccallingual dimension of the opening 12,while the occlusalgingival dimension of the opening is substantiallysmaller than the oval tube opening 12. Thus, the effect of the insert isto substantially reduce the occlusal-gingival dimension of the ovaltube. Additionally, the longitudinal dimension of the oval tube isincreased by the mesialdistal dimension of the insert head 14. As seenin FIG. 6, the legs 15 and 16 extend through the oval opening of theoval tube and thereby decrease the occlusal-gingival dimension entirelyalong the oval tube. The cross section of the legs 15 and 16 ispreferably arcuate as seen in FIG 7 to essentially define the resultingopening as a circular opening. However, it should be appreciated thatthe cross-sectional shapes of the legs 15 and 16 may take any desiredform.

To facilitate securing of the insert on the oval tube,

one 0f the le'gs is made longer than the other so that n it will extendentirely through the oval tube opening and define a tail 18 that may bebent over the distal end of the tube and lock the insert in place.Preferably, the tail 18 will be on the gingival side of the tube toavoid the wear possi-bilities that may occur on the occlusal side.

Since a simple straight-back `wire is normally proper for a round tube,it can also be employed in an oval tube converted to a round tube by thebuccal tube insert of the present invention. This then essentiallyfacilitates the arch wire bending that would normally be done. As seenin FIGS. 2, 3 and 6, when inserting the insert in an oval tube, the head14 is placed in abutting relation to the -mesial end of the oval tube,and thereafter the tail 18 may be bent over the distal end of the tubeto lock it in place.

The buccal tube insert 13A 0f FIG. 8 differs from the embodiment 13primarily in that the head 14A is rectangularly shaped and provided witha rectangularly shaped opening 17A that is particularly adapted toIeceive rectangular in cross section arch wire that would be restrainedfrom relative rotation therewith by the fit between the 'Wire and insertopening.

From the foregoing, it can be appreciated that the insert of the presentinvention is capable of converting an oval buccal tube to a round orrectangular buccal tube and thereby greatly reducing the time and costof removing a band with an oval buccal tube and replacing the oval tubewith a round or rectangular tube and thereafter replace the band on atooth.

It will Ibe understood that modifications and variations may be effectedwithout departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the presentinvention.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. In combination with a buccal tube adapted to be mounted buccally ofan anchor tooth and having an oval, mesial-distal opening, the long axisof which extends occlusal-gingivally, a buccal tube insert forsubstantially decreasing the occlusal-gingival dimension of the ovalopening, said insert including a head adapted to abut against one of thetube ends and having an opening aligning with the tube opening, theocclusal-gingival dimen- 4 sion of said insert being less than that ofsaid tube, and a leg integral with and extending from the insert headand into the oval opening decreasing its occlusal-gingival depth.

2. The combination as defined in claim 1, and a second leg extendingfrom the insert head and into the oval opening.

3. The combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said insert headopening is substantially round.

`4. The combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said insert headopening is substantially rectangular.

l5. The combination as defined in claim 2, wherein said insert is formedto convert the oval opening of said tube to a substantially roundopening having a substantially smaller occlusal-gingival dimension andia longer mesial-distal dimension.

6. The combination as dened in claim 2, wherein said insert is formed toconvert the oval opening of said tube to a substantially rectangularopening having a substantially smaller occlusal-gingival dimension and alonger mesial-distal dimension.

7. The combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said leg has a lengthsufficient to define a tail to be bent over the end of the tube oppositethe end against which the insert head abuts.

8. A buccal tube insert for use with a tooth-mounted buccal tube havingan oval in cross section opening therethrough the long axis of whichwould normally extend occlusal-gingivally and the longitudinal axis ofthe Opening extending normally mesial-distally, said insert reducing theocclusal-gingival dimension of said tube opening and extending thedimension along the longitudinal axis thereof, said insert including ahead adapted to abut against one end of said tube and having an openingaligning with the tube, the opening of the insert head having anocclusal-gingival dimension :substantially less than that of the tubeopening, and a pair of opposed legs integral fwith and extending fromsaid head into said tube opening at the occlusal and gingival sidesthereof substantially decreasing the occlusal-gingival dimension of thetube :opening throughout its longitudinal axis, said legs being smallerthan said head and one leg being longer than the tube to permit bendingover one end of the tube for anchoring the insert to the tube.

9. A buccal tube insert as defined in claim 8, wherein the head openingis round and the opening defined by said legs coacting with said tubeopening is substantially round and of the same size as the head opening.

, 10. A buccal tube insert as defined in claim 8, wherein the headopening is rectangular and the opening defined by said legs coactingwith said tube opening is substantially rectangular and of the same sizeas the head opening.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1932 Atkinson 32-14 ROBERTPESHOCK, Primary Examiner

